Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
Mr. Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will publish the risk assessment made prior to the establishment of a mass burial site at Throckmorton airfield in Worcestershire; and what amendments have since been made to that assessment. [2002]
Mr. Morley [holding answer 4 July 2001]: The Environment Agency conducted a preliminary desktop study of Throckmorton airfield in order to assess its suitability as a burial site for animal carcases. The study included a risk assessment of the geological, hydrogeological and hydrological conditions at the airfield. This assessment was followed up by a full quantitative risk assessment by the agency using site-specific data gained from the site construction phase. The site was shown to be acceptable using the approved methodology.
The contractors, Halcrows, are currently doing additional site investigation and monitoring, and they will further update the risk assessment following this work. Both the qualitative desktop study and quantitative risk assessment are held on the public register at the district Environment Agency office in Riversmeet, Tewkesbury, together with a note referring to the additional work.
David Maclean: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what is the purpose of the building being erected at the Hall Burn site at Longtown, Cumbria. [2754]
Mr. Morley: No permanent buildings are being erected at the Hall Burn site although a number of temporary modular buildings (i.e. portacabins) were erected on the site before May. These are used for office accommodation, crew rooms, toilets, and showers.
Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to monitor (a) the role of Green Ministers and (b) integration of the environment and sustainable development; and if she will make a statement. [4003]
Mr. Meacher: As chair of the Cabinet Sub-Committee of Green Ministers, I will monitor the role of Green Ministers and integration of the environment and sustainable development. The Committee will report to ENV as necessary. The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs is a member of ENV.
Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs where responsibility lies for co-ordination of the role of Green Ministers; and if she will make a statement. [4002]
Mr. Meacher: As a Cabinet Sub-Committee the terms of reference for ENV(G) are set by the Prime Minister and it is for me to co-ordinate the role including a work programme.
13 Jul 2001 : Column: 690W
Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on what date a Green Minister was first appointed in her Department; when subsequent appointments were made; and if she will make a statement. [3974]
Mr. Meacher: I have been asked to answer this question on behalf of the Government. The Green Ministers Committee has undergone three phases since its inception. A Green Minister in every Government Department was first appointed following the 'This Common Inheritance' White Paper in 1990.
Following the recent establishment of the Green Ministers Committee as a Cabinet Sub-Committee, ENV(G), its membership is as follows:
Solicitor-General
Financial Secretary, Treasury
Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs
Minister of State (Rural Affairs), Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Minister of State, Scotland Office
Minister of State, Department of Trade and Industry
Minister of State, Department for Culture, Media and Sport
Parliamentary Secretary, Cabinet Office
Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for International Development
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Work and Pensions
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Northern Ireland Office
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Wales Office
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Defence
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Education and Skills.
Mr. Meacher: In this Parliament the Green Ministers Committee has been reconstituted as the Cabinet Sub- Committee of Green Ministers, ENV(G). It is for the Prime Minister to set the terms of reference for Cabinet Committees. ENV(G)'s terms of reference are:
Mr. Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the cost to the Exchequer, net
13 Jul 2001 : Column: 691W
of savings on means-tested benefits, of increasing the rate of Invalid Care Allowance to the level of the basic State Pension. [1460]
Maria Eagle: The estimated additional cost of this change would be £650 million in 200102 (cost net of savings on Income Support, Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit would be £340 million). However, this change would only benefit carers not in receipt of Income Support (IS) or where the increase is greater than the current value of their IS. 230,000 people would see an increase in their net income.
In April 2001 the Carer Premium paid through Income Related Benefits was increased by an extra £10 per week and the Invalid Care Allowance (ICA) Earnings Limit was increased by £22 per week. We intend to legislate to extend ICA to people aged 65 or over and to enable ICA to continue for up to eight weeks after the death of the person being cared for. These changes will help an estimated 300,000 carers at a cost of more than £500 million over three years.
13 Jul 2001 : Column: 692W
Mr. Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when the last Winter Fuel Payment for winter 2000 was paid. [2265]
Mr. McCartney: This is a matter for Alexis Cleveland, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. She will write to the hon. Member.
Letter from Alexis Cleveland to Mr. David Willetts, dated 11 July 2001:
Mr. Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many staff the Benefits Agency Security Investigations Service has employed in each area for each of the past 12 months; what is the full complement of staff at each BASIS office; how many of these posts are vacant; and how many staff at each area office have been with BASIS for 12 months or more. [2260]
Malcolm Wicks: The information is in the tables.
The Counter Fraud Investigation Branch is committed to bringing staffing up to full strength in the next quarter and is currently recruiting.
2000 | 2001 | ||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Teams | May | June | July | August | September | October | November | December | January | February | March | April | May |
Hinchley Wood | 60 | 60 | 58 | 58 | 58 | 55 | 55 | 53 | 52 | 53 | 53 | 53 | 56 |
Canons Park | 44 | 45 | 46 | 47 | 47 | 49 | 48 | 48 | 50 | 50 | 50 | 46 | 45 |
Birmingham | 19 | 21 | 20 | 19 | 20 | 20 | 19 | 19 | 22 | 19 | 20 | 20 | 20 |
Nottingham | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 |
Leeds | 19 | 19 | 19 | 18 | 18 | 20 | 20 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 22 |
Manchester | 18 | 18 | 18 | 17 | 21 | 19 | 19 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 21 | 21 |
Cardiff | 15 | 15 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 17 | 18 | 17 | 15 | 15 |
Liverpool | 17 | 17 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 19 | 19 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 |
Newcastle | 17 | 17 | 17 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 21 | 21 | 22 | 21 |
Glasgow | 21 | 21 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 21 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 18 | 18 |
Total | 247 | 250 | 247 | 246 | 251 | 253 | 251 | 252 | 258 | 259 | 259 | 254 | 256 |
BASIS teams | Complement of staff | Vacancies declared |
---|---|---|
Hinchley Wood | 69 | 13 |
Canons Park | 69 | 24 |
Birmingham | 21 | 1 |
Nottingham | 21 | 3 |
Leeds | 21 | 0 |
Manchester | 21 | 0 |
Cardiff | 21 | 6 |
Liverpool | 21 | 1 |
Newcastle | 21 | 0 |
Glasgow | 21 | 3 |
BASIS teams | Number of staff |
---|---|
Hinchley Wood | 42 |
Canons Park | 34 |
Birmingham | 14 |
Nottingham | 18 |
Leeds | 18 |
Manchester | 14 |
Cardiff | 12 |
Liverpool | 14 |
Newcastle | 12 |
Glasgow | 14 |
Notes:
1. These figures include both administrative and investigative staff employed by BASIS.
2. Figures above as of May 2001.
13 Jul 2001 : Column: 693W
Next Section | Index | Home Page |